[ce.ment] n [ME sement, fr. MF ciment, fr. L caementum stone chips used in making mortar, fr. caedere to cut] (14c) 1 a: a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a kiln and finely pulverized and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete; also: any mixture used for a similar purpose b: concrete
2: a binding element or agency: as a: a substance to make objects adhere to each other b: something serving to unite firmly "justice is the ~ that holds a political community together --R. M. Hutchins"
3: cementum
4: a plastic composition made esp. of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities
5: the fine-grained groundmass or glass of a porphyry
[2]cement vt (14c) 1: to unite or make firm by or as if by cement
2: to overlay with concrete ~ vi: to become cemented -- ce.ment.er n